What is a Trifecta?

A Trifecta is an exotic bet type that requires the punter to select the horses that finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

There are several different types of Trifectas available to punters so make sure you find the right structure to work with your betting strategy.

A Straight Trifecta is the most affordable of all Trifectas but it is also the hardest to win, with the punter only allowed one selection in each position and needing to tip the first three horses home - in order! A Boxed Trifecta, on the other hand, allows the punter to make any number of selections (limited to field size) with their runners being able to finish in any order.

How much does a Trifecta cost?

As a basic rule, for every possible winning combination the cost of your Trifecta will increase. But while adding a lot of selections does increase the cost (per full unit/dividend) it also greatly enhances your likelihood of winning. Striking the balance between costliness and coverage (also known as the number of possible winning combinations/outcomes) is one of the great skills when it comes to trifectas - and most other exotic bet types!

What are the types of Trifecta bets?

Here are some of the main types of Trifectas available to punters:

Straight Trifecta

Select the horses that finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd by making only one selection for each position.

Boxed Trifecta

Select the horses that finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd by making a minimum of three or more selections with the horses able to finish in any order.

Standout Trifecta

Select the horses that finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd by making any number of selections (relative to field size) for each position but with a minimum of two in at least one of these positions

The following are examples of betting screens displaying a Straight Tri, a Boxed Tri and a Standout Tri (in order):

Flexi Trifecta Betting

Flexi Trifectas enable punters to take a percentage of the full unit of their bet, allowing them to outlay only as much as they can afford; it also means they can throw on bets they might otherwise have been unable to afford in the days before Flexi betting. The Flexi percentage taken by a punter is the fraction of the stake against the cost of the bet per full dividend (or unit). In the Standout Tri (above right), the cost of the First Four is $40 per full dividend, meaning a $0.25 or 25% stake would require a $10 outlay by the punter.